Fish-cutting machine



. 1,628,765 May 171 1927 H. E. BERGEN FISH CUTTING MACHINE Filed Fehn. 192e 2 sheets-sheet4 l May 17 1927 H. E. BERGEN FISH CUTTING MACHINE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed FebllY 1926 Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED s'1a.'1"1-:sA

HAROLD E. BERGEN, OF SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA.

FISH-CUTTING MACHINE.

Application led February My invention relates to a fish cutting machine and has for its principal obyects the provision of a relatively simple, practical and easily operated machine that may be used to decided economic advantage in cutting fish so as to obtain for canning purposes that portion of the fish body that is made up of solid meat.

In the handling of certain kinds of fish and particularly in the conversion of the fish into an edible product and products that have certain commercial valifies, for instance, poultry food and fertilizer, it is desirable to cut the fish so as to obtain the solid meat portion that lies` between the visceral cavity and the tail, such portion being put up in cans or suitable containers to provide a food product and `the other portions of the fish being treated to form fish meal, fertilizers, poultry food, and like commercial products.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a machine that will be highly eiicient in handling within a given period of time a relatively large quantity of fish and which machinewill be effective in very rapidly cutting the fish bodies so as to separate the solid meat portions thereof from the` head and tail portions, thus enabling the conversion o erations to be very rapidly and 30 economica ly accomplished.

further object of my invention is to provide an improved means in the form of a conveyor of special shape and pressure means cooperating therewith for holding the bodies of the fish firmly in position while said bodies are beingr engaged by the cutters that sever the solid meat portion of the fish body from the tail and head portion.

In this connection, it will be understood that practically all of the smaller varieties of fish thathave the solid meat portions of their bodies cut away to provide an edible roduct, are` relatively small and that the fglsh bodies taper both in width and thickness from an intermediate point toward the tail and on account of this taperingr shape of thefish bodies and the fact that said bodies arev very flexible :rnd slippery, it is essential that suitable means be provided for firmly holding the bodies in proper position at the time they are engaged by the rotary cutters, for if they are not firmly held, the knives will not operate to the best advantage and there will be a certain amount of loss duc to impro er cutting.

Further objects of) my invention are. to

117 1926. Serial No. 87,517.

provide a machine of the character referred to that may be readily adjusted in order to accommodate or handle fish of varying sizes.

lith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of constriilction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and lclaimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichW Fig. 1. is a top plan view of' a fish cutting machine embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2. is a side elevational view of the machine with parts thereof broken away.

Fig. 3. is an enlarged section taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is an enlarged longitudinal section taken approximately on the line i-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of' my invent-ion, 10, 10 designate the upright members or corner posts of the frame of the machine and which frame includes upper longitudinally disposed rails ll, lower longitudinally disposed rails 12 and suitably lo ed croi-s rails not shown.

Journaled in suitable beariilgs 13 that are arranged on rails ll near one end of the 'frame is a shaft 14 to which is fixed a pair of' sprocket wheels such as l5, and journaled in longitudinally adjustable bearings 1G at one end of the frame is a similar shaft 17 carrying sprocket wheels 18. Arranged for operation on the respective pairs of sprocket wheels are sprocket chains 19 and secured thereto are substantially L-shaped fish supporting plates 20. One set of these plates, or the plates carried by one ofthe chains 19, is inclined slightly with respect to a transverse plane and which arrangeinent is provided in order that the upstanding'l flanges on the inclined plates will conform to the tapered rear portions of the shV bodies.

It will be understood that the members of each transversely arranged pair of. plates 2O constitute a support for a fish body and the two sets of plates are spaced a sufficient distance apart for the accommodation of a rotary cutter hereinafter more fully described.

The bearings 16 for shaft 17 are made adjustable in order that any slack or lost motion that may develop in` the chains 19 may be taken up. Y

Suitably supported on the end of the iv i frame adjacent to shatt 17 is a plate 21, preferably formed ot sheet metal, and which lies immediately beneath the over-running portions ol the chains 19 and mounted for transverse adjustment on this plate and spaced a short distance away from the inclined series of tish supporting plates is a substantially L-shaped gage member 22, the upstanding tiange ot which occupies a posi* tion parallel with the iish carrier comprising the chains 19 and plates 20 carriedthereby. This gage plate utilized by the attendants oit the machine to insure proper placing` ot the iish on the plates 20.

Supportedon b ackets 23 that project npwardly from the trarne ot the machine are bearings 241- 'tor a transversely disposed shatt- 25 and adjustably mounted on said sha'l't and held in their adjusted positions by lock nuts 26 are cutting disks 27 having sharpened marginal edges. These disks occupy positions to vthe sides ol" the series ot inclined supporting plates 2() and they are mounted so as to be adjusted toward or away from each other in order to vary the length of the solid meat sections that are cut trom the rear portions ot the tish bodies.

Loosely mounted on shaft 14 and upon transversely disposed sha'tt 28 that is journaled in bearings 29, the latter being,` located directlybeneath bearings 2t, are the lower endsot upwardly projecting,` inclined arms 30. The arms forming one pair and which are mounted on shaft 1st are connected to the correspondingv arms that are mounted on shaft 28 by horizontally disposed links 31, and thus the two pairs of arms are connected soA as to move simultaneously.

Projectinghorizontally from the pair ot arms 30that are mounted on shaft 2S are short arms 32, the outer portions of which are slotted as indicated by 33 for the reception ol adjusting screws 34, the lower ends ot which are rotatably held in sockets 35 and which latter are iliXed to a part ot the frame ot the machine.

Arranged. on the screws 3ft above and below the arms 32 are lock nuts 3G. By proper .manipulation of the screws Slt and lock nuts 36, the pairs ot arms 30 may be raised or lowered as desired.

Journaled in the upper ends ot the pair of armsBO that are carried by sha'tt 14e is a horizontally disposed shaft 37 on which is mounted a small drum or pulley 3S and a corresponding drum or pulley 3S) is carried by a shaft ll() that is journaled in the upper portions ot arms 30 that are carried by shaft 28. Arranged `l'or operation on the drums or pulleys 38 and 39 is a flexible member 411, preferably a belt ot rubber or suitable fabric, the same serving` as a pressure member to hold the fish in position on the pairs of carrier plates 2O while said fish are being engaged by the rotary cutters 27 (see Fig. 4).

Mounted on one end et shaft il? is a pulley 42 around which jiasses a belt Al-Jl and which latter passes around a .similar pulley -tl dial is carried by the end ol shall't lt. lulleys` `t2 and del have the same diameter and bell t", that operates on said pulleys is crossed in order that pulley 4-2, shaft 37, and pressure. member 411, may be driven in the proper directions.

Fixed on the end ot shal'l lflopposite from the end that carries pulley tl i.: a gear .wheel 15 that meshes with a iin eh smaller gear wheel or pinion 16 and the la ter being secured to a shaft 47. rl`his shai' ir, jonrnaled in beariiig's 18 on the end ol' the inachine frame and carried by one end ot' .eaid shaft isa belt wheel L19 that receives a power driven belt 50. Carried by the end ot' shaft. t opposite the end that carries belt wheel 19 is a belt wheel 51 around which passes a belt 52 and the latter also pas-'es around ay relatively small belt wheel or pulley 523 that is fixed on the end oli sha'tt 5-l. 'lhe last mentioned slia'l't is journaled in suitablehearings on lower member 12 of the machine trame and secured on the end et said slia'l't opposite the end that carries pulley 58 is a sprocket wheel 55. Operating on sproelufi wheel 55 is a sprocket chain 56 that passes around a smaller sprocket wheel 5T and the latter beinel secured to the correspondin end of shaft 25 that carries the rotary cutters 27.

The operation ot my improved [ish entting' machine is as follows:

As power belt is operated, beltwheel fin. shaft 4:7, and belt wheel 51 will be rotated and through belt 52 and pulley 53, rotary motion will be imparted to sha'tt 5-l-. Through sprocket wheel 55, sprocket chain 5C, and sprocket wheel 57, shaft 25, carryinfjY the rotary cutters 27, will be rotated and simultaneously shaft 1st will be driven as a result of the engagement ojt pinion 4G with gear wheel 45.

Thus the lish carrying plates 2d on the over-running portions of the sprocket:l chains 19 will move toward the rotary cutters 27 land the pressure member l11, and which latter is positively operated by belt t3 that een nects pulleys 4-2 and /l/t.

Operators stationed to thel sides of plate or table 2l, place .fish on the transversely disposed pairs ol' carrier plates 20 with the, tails olE said tish abutting;` the upsta-inlingiportion et gage plate 22, and thus` positioned. the iish are carried into engagreinent with the rotary cutters 27, which latter are driven :it relatively higih speed owingto the relative sizes ot the jnllleys 5l and 53, and sprocket wheels 55 and 57.

As the fish a'pproai'fh the rotary cutters. they will pass beneath and be engaged by pressure member 41:1, which latter adjusted to operate at the proper height by manipule,- tion of adjusting screws 34 and as the lish lll() mesma action is performed; saidfishl bodies will ti il be retained in' proper positionruponjth carrier plates until the bodies have beencomplete] y scveredratftwo points.

Practically all the smaller varieties of fish taper in width and thickness fronitlle centcrsof their bodies -toward tlfeirtarls and as the fish are `veryslipperyand*limloer and stantiahbearing `for the tapered portions of the .bodies `while the. latter are being severed by` the* rotary cutters, and further, those portions-.ofthe fish. bodies that lie on the carrierplates having the .inclined flanges a're firmly pressed against said plates and inclined flanges by the pressure belt 41 and, as a result, tbe rotary cutters effect clean cuts through the fish bodies and there is very little, if any, loss due to improper cuttin of the fish.

n order to obtain the desired and more valuable portions of the fish bodies for canning purposes to provide an `edible food product, the rotary cutters are adjusted so as to cut the fish bodies transversely on lines adjacent to or just below the. end of the ivisceral cavity and at a point between the body of the fish and the relatively hard bony structure of the tail.

After passing beneath the rotary cutters, the cut-away head afndtail portions of the fish will drop into suitable receptacles or conveyors positioned beneath the cutting ma` chine, while that portion of the fish body that is to be retained for canning purposes will be carried on the inclined series of plates 20 to the discharge end of the machine where they will be received in a chute or conveyor such as C.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a fish cutting machine that is relatively simple in construction, capable of being easily and cheaply produced, and which may be economically operated in cutting the fish bodies so as to separate the same into portions of different commercial values.

The fish bodies, while being engaged and severed by the rotary cutters are firmly held in proper position u on the pairs of carrier plates and the hol ing means and rotary cutters are readily adjustable in order to accommodate fish of varying sizes.

It will be understood that minor changes in` thesim, form andfconstructionof 4the variousparts of my improvedfish-cutting machlneinay beinadc and substitutedlfor those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit off my invention, the scope ofivhich is setfortl1 in `the appended claims; i

I clairras my invention 1."In `a fish cutting machine, a conveyor "formed intwoparts, yeachl part including a series of substantiallyLlshaped plates, the two" series of lates being spaced apartthe 11p-standing. anges on one series' of` the plates beingfinclined with respect to the flanges on `the otherseriesof plates for engaging and supporting the tapered portions of the bodies of the fish that are placed' on said plates and a pair of rotary cutters'arranged for operation adjacent tothe edges of bnc of the series of plates forming a part'""' of said endless conveyor.y

2.`I11 a fish cuttincf niaclline* a conve or `formed in two parts, eachfpart including a series of substantially `Lshaped plate`s,the

two series of platesv being spaced apart, the rip-standing flanges on one series of the plates being inclined with respect to the flanges on the other series of plates for engaging and supporting the tapered portions of the bodies of the fish that are placed on said plates, a pair of rotary cutters arranged for operation adjacent to the edges of one of the series of plates forming a part of said endless conveyor and means for simultaneously operating said endless conveyor and said rotary cutters.

3. In a fish cutting machine, a conveyor formed in two parts, each part including a series of substantially L-shaped plates, the two series of plates being spaced apart the up-standing flanges on one series of the plates being inclined with respect to the flanges on the other series of plates for engaging and supporting the tapered portions of the bodies of the fish that are placed on said plates. a pair of rotary cutters arranged for operation adjacent to the edges of one of the series of plates forming a part of said endless conveyor and means for holding fish bodies on the plates of the endless conveyor while said bodies are engaged by said rotary cutters.

4. In a fish cutting machine, a conveyor formed in two parts, each part including a series of substantially L-shaped plates, the two series of lates being spaced apart the up-standing anges on one series of the plates being inclined with respect to the flanges on the other series of plates for engaging and supporting the tapered portionsl of the bodies of the fish that are placed ou said plates, a pair of rotary cutters arranged for operation adjacent to the edges of one of the series of plates forming a part of said endless conveyor, means for holding fish bodies on the plates of the endless conveyorwhile said bodies are engaged by said rotary cutters and means for simultaneously operating said endless conveyor', said rotary cutters and said fish body holding means.

5. In a sh cutting machine, an endless conveyor 'formed in Atwo parts, each part comprising an endless chain, a series of lishcarrying plates-carried by each chain, one series of plates being inclined with respect tothe plates of the other series flanges projecting upwardly from the rear edges ot the plates of both series for engaging and supporting the bodies of the fish that are placed on the conveyor and rotary cutters arranged for operation to the sides of the series of inclined plates.

6. In a fish cutting machine, an endless conveyor formed in two parts, each part comprising an endless chain, a series of fish-carry* ing plates carried by each chain, one series of plates being inclined with respect to the platesot' the other series flanges projecting `upwardly from the rear edges of the plates of both series for engaging and supporting the bodies of the fish that are placed on the conveyor, rotary critters arranged .tor operation to the sides ot the series ot inclined plates and means for holding lish bodies on the endless conveyor while engaged by said rotary cutters.

7. In. a. .iish cutting machine, an endless carrier comprising a. pair ot" chains7 a series of substantially L-sliaped plates carried by each chain, the two series of plates being spaced apart, the plates of one series being inclined with respect to the plates ot the other series rotary cutters arranged for o Jeration adjacent to the ends of the series et inclined plates the Lip-standing flanges on the L-shaped plates in the inclined series providing hearings and supports tor the tapered portions of the bodies of the fish while the same are engaged by said rotary cutters and means arranged for operation above the series of inclined plates lor pressing the tish bodies onto said plates and against the flanges thereof while said lish bodies are engaged by the cutters.

In testimony whereof I alii); my si gnature.

HAROLD E. BERGEN. 

